The Fox and Friends Attack on Tim Fattig

The Pink Flamingo has just learned that all charges against Tim have been dropped. His mother died of natural causes. The DA is not going to pursue the case. The fact that none of his mother’s social security checks were cashed should be some indication that nothing nefarious was afoot.

I have known Tim Fattig for at least 12 years. I hurt for him, and I an angry with the way he is being portrayed. This morning on Fox and Friends, they downright lied about him. Tim is a writer, not a horror movie producer. He is a very gifted writer. In The Pink Flamingo’s humble opinion, he may be one of the best of the Tombstone researchers and historians out there.

My fear is the nastiness of the media, with sources like Fox and Friends comparing him to Norman Bates, is gong to cause lasting damage. Thank goodness Janice broke the town’s silence and tried to set things to rights.

Tim is on the right, dressed up like a Cowboy. He works in Tombstone, does street reenacting, when it is allowed, and is a very talented writer.

This morning, on Fox and Friends, I was shocked at their description of the person I have known for years. They made him seem like this creepy monster, which, he is not. Granted, Tim is a little strange, but – he DOES live in Tombstone. It helps to be strange to live there! (inside joke)

The first time I met Tim, he was just a kid with a grand dream: the ultimate biography of Wyatt Earp. A few hours after meeting him, he, Larry Knuth, and I went back to my room at the Larian Motel (the best place to stay in Tombstone to get a bottle of wine. It was after midnight, as usual. I swear Tim and I were sober.

Well, I couldn’t get the cork out of the bottle. Tim couldn’t get it out of the bottle. Larry couldn’t get it out of the bottle. So, Tim and I are both holding onto the bottle and Larry gives the corkscrew a big pull. Wine arched across to plaster the white wall being the door of the room I always use. I quickly grab a damp washcloth and wipe it off, but it left a stain.

Gordon Anderson, the owner, has since painted the room. While I do not thing we were to blame, I wouldn’t discount the mess we made. It does serve to answer the eternal question: How many people does it take to open a bottle of wine – in Tombstone. The answer is three. Two must be sober at the time.

The next time I met Tim was a year later. That night a midnight activity had been planned. (And, yes, I still have the photos). There were about twenty of us. Someone decided it would be a great idea to go over the fence and tour a certain world famous cemetery and look for ghosts. We ended up attracting quite an audience, including a few drunken tourists who had no idea who we were.

Tim and I were, once again, probably the only sober souls in the group. I drove my Durango up to the world-famous gate, and the miscreants climbed on top of it to go inside. Tim and I remained outside, primarily in the get-away vehicle, as the cops drove back and forth, laughing at us. It was a kinder gentler time when people still had a sense of humor.

The next time I saw Tim, about a year later, he had moved to Tombstone. He was in the process of being assimilated hanging with his new buds every Thursday night at Big Nose Kate’s doing karaoke.

Then it happened – he began roaming the streets of Tombstone dressed up as one of the Earp brothers. I don’t remember which one. Soon he joined one of the gunfighter groups, and began drinking the water.

A few years later he FINALLY finished his magnum opus biography of Wyatt Earp. As I writer and a biographer of Wyatt, myself, I still think I “hate” him. His research is impeccable. He is a digger, boldly going places few researchers, including The Pink Flamingo, have gone before. The book shows it.

Tim is willing to entertain new theories about Wyatt and Tombstone. He and I agree about 90% of the time, and hold many of the same theories about Wyatt, John Slaughter, Mattie’s murder, and the criminal situation there in Cochise County. I enjoy talking to him because he knows so darn much! Next venerable historian and writer Ben Traywick, I think Tim has the best grasp on the situation and the story. This, I hate admitting.

As a writer and a researcher, Tim is one of those people I rely on to discuss what I’ve found, to put things into perspective. I respect his work to the point that, when, a few years ago around the 4th of July, he is the person I contacted when I was working with a documentary crew in Tombstone.

It truly bothers me the way he is being portrayed. For the past year or so, when I would be in Tombstone, looking for him, I would hear the same thing from mutual friends. “Something is going on with Tim.”

Well, now we know.

My prayers are that he is able to recover from this and get back to doing what he does best, writing.

There is something you need to know about him. Tim lost his father a few years ago. He adored his parents, was very close to them.

I cannot imagine the hurt, or what is going on in his brilliant mind. I only hope the jerks in the national media do not attempt to destroy him just so they can be cute and pithy. One does hope the media will finally get the story right.

Post navigation

2 thoughts on “The Fox and Friends Attack on Tim Fattig”

A wonderful tribute from a loyal friend… all charges have been dropped… but but but that doesn’t fit the Norman Bates “narrative.” Sheperd Smith will be sooooo deflated, but he’s on to a new field of carnage in Japan, sure to be rich with drama, photo ops and movie references. And if all else fails he can pull out his list of horror movies.

This is one more bit of reinforcement for my decision to avoid ALL television “news” which is not news anymore, just psycho drama. May God bless and comfort Tim Fattig and send angels and friends to his side in this time of extreme strife and loss. With SJ and Janice already at the lead, I’d say the assembly is off to a perfect start.

Thank you for the insight. I was told about this situation just yesterday. While Tim and I have never had a face to face, we’ve been friends for years via various social media sites. He’s always been kind, funny, and caring. Tim’s little texts and messages during some very sad points in my life always made me feel better about the world and the people in them. In my opinions he’s one of the good guys and this situation will not change that in my mind. He’s been found innocent. That is well and good enough for me. My heart goes out to him right now. I hope this can all be put behind him someday and he can return to doing the things he loves and sharing his passions with others and making people happy.

Comments are closed.

SJ Reidhead (aka The Pink Flamingo) is a writer based in New Mexico. The author of two published novels, both westerns: Dust Devil and The Second Mrs. Earp and two published works of non-fictions: TRAVESTY: Frank Waters Earp Agenda Exposed and A Church for Helldorado, Endicott Peabody's 1882 Tombstone Diary. One of the leading authorities on the life of Wyatt Earp and Tombstone during the Earp years, she is currently writing a series of murder mysteries set in modern day Tombstone. The author is also working on a book about fashion in the Wild West. When complete, there will be over 2100 unpublished antique photographs dating from 1855-1910.

The author's work has appeared in Wild West, True West, Blogcritics, and The Tombstone Times. Recently the author has had to deal with a father who succumbed to Alzheimer's Disease. This is leading to a book dealing with the frustrations of dealing with the frustrations of the disease, finance, legal, health-care, and things no one bothers telling families about it. She is currently working on a murder mystery series set in modern day Tombstone and Cochise County. Several books of essays on Christian living are currently in edits. A book of essays and revisions of articles about Wyatt Earp has been completed and will include her latest work detailing her theory about the murder of his second wife, Mattie.

SJ Reidhead has been involved in Republican politics since she was 'a little kid'. During the Reagan years she was a lobbyist working with various non-profit organizations who were attempting to salvage NASA and the American space program after the disastrous Carter years. In spite of ups and downs, and numerous disappointments, politically, it is obvious the only political hope for this country is via the Republican Party. Along with politics she is an opera fanatic, has been known to stalk baritones to the point of being a baritone junkie, and loves baseball.

The Pink Flamingo went on line on October 4, 2005.

THE PINK FLAMINGO STORY

It started out as a joke. During the seven years I worked with the girls of my parish, leading a youth group, one of the things that I stressed were manners. Part of having manners, the way I see it, is to know how to set a proper table, host a party, cater it, and clean up afterward. I was fortunate enough to have a group of very talented girls in my youth group. They learned how to plan for, and execute large church functions, very properly. During one such function I noticed there were several incredibly tacky pink flamingos sitting on the table. Knowing the girls were up to something, I said nothing. A few months later they did the same thing at a function I was hosting at my home. I said nothing. They had a birthday party for me. More pink flamingos appeared - and a joke was born.

Thanks to the girls, all of whom are now grown, I have a collection of pink flamingos. It has become an ongoing joke. When I began working on my political blog, I realized the only possibly title was The Pink Flamingo!